CFS Reports 99.8% Food Safety Rate, Four Samples Found Unsatisfactory

CFS announces food safety report for January

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 27) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 2 600 food samples tested (including food items purchased online) were found to be satisfactory except for four unsatisfactory samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent.

A CFS spokesman said that about 600 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, and about 2 000 samples were taken for chemical and radiation level tests.

The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators; the chemical tests included testing for pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others; and the radiation-level tests included testing for radioactive caesium and iodine in samples collected from imported food from different regions.

The samples comprised about 1 000 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; about 100 samples of cereals, grains and their products; about 300 samples of meat and poultry and their products; about 300 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; about 300 samples of aquatic and related products; and about 600 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).

The four unsatisfactory samples comprised a jade melon sample detected with a metallic contaminant exceeding the legal limit; a snow pea sample and a spinach sample detected with pesticide residues exceeding the legal limits; and a tuna sample found with malachite green.

The CFS has taken follow-up actions on the above-mentioned unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items, and tracing the sources of the food items in question.

The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

Separately, in response to the Japanese Government's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the CFS will continue enhancing the testing on imported Japanese food, and make reference to the risk assessment results to adjust relevant surveillance work in a timely manner. The CFS will announce every working day on its dedicated webpage (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/daily_japan_nuclear_incidents.html) the radiological test results of the samples of food imported from Japan, with a view to enabling the trade and members of the public to have a better grasp of the latest safety information.

Source: AI-found images

Monetary Statistics for January 2026

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

According to statistics published today (February 27) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, total deposits with authorized institutions decreased by 0.1 per cent in January 2026. Among the total, Hong Kong dollar deposits increased by 1.3per cent, while foreign currency deposits decreased by 1.1per cent in January, mainly reflecting fund flows of corporates. Renminbi deposits in Hong Kong increased by 3.5per cent in January to RMB993.9 billion at the end of January. The total remittance of renminbi for cross-border trade settlement amounted to RMB1,016.4 billion in January, compared with RMB1,177.4 billion in December. It should be noted that changes in deposits are affected by a wide range of factors, such as interest rate movements and fund-raising activities. It is therefore more appropriate to observe the longer-term trends, and not to over-generalise fluctuations in a single month.

Total loans and advances increased by 1.1per cent in January. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) and loans for use outside Hong Kong increased by 0.7per cent and 2.2per cent respectively in January. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 72.3per cent at the end of January from 72.9per cent at the end of December, as Hong Kong dollar deposits increased at a faster pace than Hong Kong dollar loans.

Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both increased by 1.1per cent in January, and both increased by 3.8per cent when compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 increased by 2.6per cent in January, and increased by 16.9per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and total M3 both remained virtually unchanged in January. Compared to a year earlier, total M2 and total M3 increased by 9.9per cent and 9.8per cent respectively.

As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.

Source: AI-found images